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64 SMT Magazine • September 2015 and reducing the general overhead processes associated with that. Sometimes that comes through technological advantages and some- times it comes through multi-conveyor systems so that we can load one lane while dispens- ing on another. We're really trying to utilize as much of the time the parts are in the machine as possible. The second aspect that comes into that is faster dispensing. One way that's done is through multiple heads on the system at a time, so that we're dispensing parts in parallel rather than in a series. The other way would be through faster applicator dispensing tech- niques—jets that are firing from 100Hz or 200Hz to 500Hz to non-jetted solutions that have higher flow rates through higher flow au- gers or similar technologies. Matties: what's the typical cycle time now? Perkins: A great question, but it's really chal- lenging to answer because it's extremely de- pendent on the size of the parts, the amount of material that's being dispensed, and how many parts we're putting into the machine at one time. Obviously, we don't want to be the bottleneck within the line, so we work within the parameters of the higher cost equipment that is bottlenecking the line and make sure that we have a solution that's faster than that bottleneck rate. Depending on that, it may mean multiple machines, multiple valves, multiple heads, etc. It's very applica - tion dependent. Matties: You're down in Carlsbad, California— that's a nice area. is that where all your manufac- turing is done? Perkins: The majority of the products are man- ufactured out of that location. We were found- ed in Southern California in 1983 and have had the majority of manufacturing there since then. Matties: how many people work there? Perkins: Between all the buildings, we're in the neighborhood of 500 people. We're part of the Advanced Technologies Group within Nordson. Within that group, we have MARCH, YESTECH, EFD, and DAGE. YESTECH and MARCH are also on that same campus in the Carlsbad area. We have DIMA in the Netherlands, which was a recent acquisition last summer, and offices in Europe and throughout Asia. Matties: so with your tilt dispensing technology, that's part of the process improvement and cycle time, right? Perkins: Yes, with tilt dispensing, again, as we go back to that original statement on produc- ing higher yields for the customers, as you're looking at packages that are becoming smaller in your XY footprint, there's a need to come in at a tilted angle to deposit fluid for many ap- plications. Because, aAs we're shrinking boards, we need the ability to deposit fluid in the cor- rect location without contaminating other ar- tHe DemANDs ON AutOmAteD FLuID DIspeNsING continues brad perkins, general business manager, americas, nordson aSYMTeK. interview